Born
in Philadelphia, Edward Warhoftig opened up a record store at Broadway
and Mickle Street in 1966. Staying with the city when many other
merchants left, Broadway Eddie and his stores, which included a men's
wear and dollar store became a Camden institution during his 38 years in
business in Camden.

A
friend and business associate of Philadelphia radio personality Jerry
Blavat, he also worked as a record promoter and producer at Philadelphia
International Records, owned by Camden native Leon Huff and Kenny Gamble.
In 1977 he co-produced the MFSB band's recording of "K-Jee",
which was placed on the soundtrack of the movie Saturday Night Fever. The
soundtrack won Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1978 and has sold
more than 15 million copies.

Broadway
Eddie Warhoftig died on Saturday, Jul;y 5, 2003 at the age of
69.

Camden
Courier-Post * July 7, 2003

Camden
record dealer
'Broadway Eddie' Warhoftig dies

By
ERIK SCHWARTZ
Courier-Post Staff

Edward
"Broadway Eddie" Warhoftig, a Cherry Hill resident and Camden
businessman who won a Grammy Award as a music producer on one of the
biggest-selling albums of all time, died Saturday.

He
was 69.

Warhoftig
established his first store, the Broadway Record Museum, now simply
Broadway Eddie's, near Mickle Boulevard in 1966. He expanded along
Broadway to open a clothing store in 1978 and a "99 cents"
store in 1993. All three remain in operation.

"His
life was really the record business, the music," said friend Kal
Rudman, a radio-industry trade publisher.

Samuel
"Simcha" Warhoftig, Eddie's father, and Louis Blavat, father
of local radio personality Jerry Blavat, were partners with a third man
in a Philadelphia bail-bonds business, Jerry Blavat said.

Blavat
said he gave Warhoftig the idea for a record store in Camden. The store
benefited from frequent mentions on radio and television shows hosted by
Blavat, known as the Geator.

"I
gave him the name," Blavat said. "He didn't know what to call
the store. I said, `Listen, Eddie: You're on Broadway. You're Broadway
Eddie.' I used to talk about him on the radio all the time."

Blavat
said he also introduced Warhoftig to Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, the
songwriting and producing duo that started the renowned Philadelphia
International Records. Warhoftig worked as a promoter and producer for
the label, said his son, Robert Warhoftig, 37.

In
1975, Philadelphia International released the album Universal Love by
MFSB (which stood for Mother Father Sister Brother), the backup band on
hits by acts like the O'Jays and the Stylistics. The album included a
cover of the Nite-Liters song "K-Jee," co-produced by
Warhoftig and Robert Martin.

"K-Jee"
was picked for the soundtrack to the blockbuster 1977 film Saturday
Night Fever. The soundtrack won the 1978 Grammy for Album of the Year
and has sold more than 15 million copies.

Warhoftig,
who as a young man worked as a bail-bondsman and as a huckster selling
fruit, built his record store and other businesses by hustling, said his
daughter, Barbara Warhoftig, 45, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

When
he didn't have music a customer wanted, Warhoftig would buy it retail
from the Lit Brothers department store and resell it at a loss to keep
the customer, she said.

Lit
Brothers is gone, but Camden residents still buy from Broadway Eddie's
stores. "He had an undying love for that town," his daughter
said.

Warhoftig's
funeral procession Wednesday will go through downtown Camden to signify
that love, she said.